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Posts Made By: Charles Hakes

October 22, 2002 03:37 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Eyepiece question

Posted By Charles Hakes
Has anyone used the Surplus Shed 2" 38mm Erfle eyepiece? I didn't see that one on Excelsis. Is it a good buy for $40., or should I save my money? This would mostly be for an f9.6 scope.

Thanks,
Charlie

October 24, 2002 02:47 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Somebody must have tried this.

Posted By Charles Hakes
I posted a question here and on the eyepiece forum about the Surplus Shed 38mm Erfle - but no answers at all. Has nobody tried out this eyepiece? Do I have to be the guinea pig? What about other Surplus Shed eyepieces? How is their QC on "unused" products?

Thanks,
Charlie

November 19, 2002 05:06 PM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Four Corners Leonid Report

Posted By Charles Hakes
I checked the sky at ~2:00 MST and it was very hazy. Checked again ~3:00 and it was much clearer, except off to the south. I did a few 5 minute counts with about half the sky (NE) in my field of view. Moon behind me. Got 33, 26, and a whopping 48 starting at 3:45 MST. There were a few of the "bursts" with several (4-6) in the sky simultaneously. A couple of bright (~-2) ones, but mostly mag 2-3. My limiting magnitude was close to 5.0, since I could barely make out the stars in the little dipper (with averted vision, and knowing where to look, etc.) With my guestimate of half the sky visible, my peak would be ~1152/hr in that 3:45 span.

It sure was bright out there with that moon. And the mountains looked great with that new snow.

Is someone keeping track of these counts?

Charlie

November 27, 2002 07:29 PM Forum: Telescope Making

Collimating without primary

Posted By Charles Hakes
I find it much easier to center and allign the secondary with the primary out of the picture. I usually only have to do this once in a blue moon, but after taking a scope appart for some reason or another it is much easier for me to adjust the primary when I know for sure that the secondary is centered in the focus tube and shows (centered) where the center of the primary is. (Or will be when I uncover it.) I have a big X on the mirror covers of a couple of open-tube scopes for this. When working on a Meade 8" dob, I usually just take out the mirror and put a thin piece of paper (again with an X) over the end of the tube.

Am I the only one who does this?

Charlie

January 13, 2003 09:08 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Re: Public observing and expensive equipment

Posted By Charles Hakes
Last Friday was the local Elementary school astronomy night. It was cloudy, but they did have their portable planetarium set up and I took a couple of my scopes and set them up in the gym.

One was an ST80 (Apogee) on an EQ-1, which could easily focus across the gym. Most of the kids accepted the "look with your eyes and not your hands", but several requred lots of reminders. The moon finally was visible through the clouds and we took it outside. The image through the clouds was terrible, but it sure was a popular view.

I also had my home made 10" scope powered by a Dob Driver. I put plastic wrap over the mirror box and then let kids take turns steering. Fun, but not nearly as much as looking at that fuzzy view of the moon through the clouds. I guess the big one didn't look enough like a telescope for most kids.

I'll take these scopes back again, but if I ever get a premium APO I'll bet it stays at home.

Charlie


February 22, 2003 02:35 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

HD-F2 Tripod?

Posted By Charles Hakes
Does anyone have any comments on this tripod from Orion? I would getting it for an ST-80. Lots of daytime spotting use, where I would be carrying it around quite a bit. Will it be transportable enough? Or beefy enough for daytime photos? But also for astro use, how would it be pointing to zenith as far as ballance and holding position?

Also, what about Orion's slow motion adapter? Are those worth it?

Thanks,
Charlie

February 27, 2003 07:51 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

7mm Nagler

Posted By Charles Hakes
I still see lots of adds for the old style 7mm Nagler eyepiece and they are much cheaper than the newer type 6 ones. What is the performance difference? Eye relief? Sharpness? Size? I have the 4.8mm. How do they compare?

Thanks,
Charlie

March 3, 2003 03:45 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

What is this eyepiece?

Posted By Charles Hakes
What is the eyepiece on the left in this photo? (The center one is a 32mm Orion Sirius Plossl in a 2" adapter and the one on the right is a Surplus Shed 38mm erfle.) The mystery eyepiece is about 38mm fl and has a very wide ~65-70 degree FOV. Rather long eye relief, so it is a bit picky on eye position. There are no labels that I can see and as far as I can tell those diopter adjustments don't do anything (unless it is frozen with age). It came in a box of old astro equipment donated to the local middle school. I don't really know it's age. By the way, the views are great in it when you can get your eye positioned correctly.

Charlie

March 3, 2003 03:48 PM Forum: Eyepieces

What is this eyepiece?

Posted By Charles Hakes
(I also put this post on the equipement forum.)

What is the eyepiece on the left in this photo? (The center one is a 32mm Orion Sirius Plossl in a 2" adapter and the one on the right is a Surplus Shed 38mm erfle.) The mystery eyepiece is about 38mm fl and has a very wide ~65-70 degree FOV. Rather long eye relief, so it is a bit picky on eye position. There are no labels that I can see and as far as I can tell those diopter adjustments don't do anything (unless it is frozen with age). It came in a box of old astro equipment donated to the local middle school. I don't really know it's age. By the way, the views are great in it when you can get your eye positioned correctly.

Charlie

March 4, 2003 05:02 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

HD-F2

Posted By Charles Hakes
I just got my HD-F2 tripod for my ST-80. It is even bigger and sturdier than I thought it would be. I'll bet it could take another couple of pounds too. And as a 2nd, the price couldn't be beat. Haven't got a chance to try it out under a clear sky though...

Now about that slow motion adapter that I ordered at the same time... The shipping company showed it arriving in Portland when the tripod was getting to Colorado. ??? At least I should have it by tomorrow.

Charlie

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